


Portugal

by questionmark007



Category: Stitchers (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-08-16 08:10:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8094589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/questionmark007/pseuds/questionmark007
Summary: Cameron wants to go to Portugal and Kirsten wants to know why





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lovelyair](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelyair/gifts).



> A little late, but I wrote this for my dear friend @lovelyair‘s birthday. Allie, you wonderful human, you deserve 10 seasons of Stitchers and to be a writer on the show yourself. However, I can’t make that happen, so you’ll have to settle for this fic. Happy birthday!

Growing up, Kirsten didn’t travel much. Ed worked a lot and they didn’t have a lot of money sitting around and even when he did take time off, traveling to far off places with a kid who was never excited for the trip (because she didn’t have emotions about anything) wasn’t the most appealing thing. 

 

When they did go somewhere, they typically stayed close to the west coast and went to amusement parks and monuments. 

 

So when Cameron suggests they go to Portugal of all places on vacation, she’s flummoxed to say the least. 

 

"Why?“ She asks. They’re sitting, eating take out and rewatching Stranger Things because Cameron wants to make sure he got all of the references that were made. 

 

"I’ve never been to Portugal.” He says easily. “Have you?" 

 

"I’ve never even left the country. You know that.” She looks at him, trying to figure out what she’s missing, because she has to be missing something. 

 

"Then think about how great of an adventure this will be: your first time out of the county!“ Cameron leans over and pauses the show, which makes Kirsten smile because even though he’s the one who started the conversation, he doesn’t want to half watch a show or be half engaged in a conversation with her. Cameron’s all or nothing. 

 

"But what’s wrong with our usual vacation plan?” She decides rephrasing the question might work. 

 

"Our usual plan? Of staying here and occasionally going on a day trip somewhere?“ He asks incredulously. "Don’t you want to branch out? Have a new adventure?" 

 

"Our jobs are enough of an adventure. Vacations are about relaxing,” she replies. “This is nice” Kirsten gestures at them, the TV, and take out. It’s their ritual for the now mandatory day off after they solve a case, as per Maggie (and mostly Ayo) who thinks it’ll help the team de-stress and be less reckless during cases. Kirsten loves her job, but she loves no case days with Cameron more. 

 

“We can relax in Portugal. We’ll go to a beach! It’ll be great." 

 

"Cameron…” Kirsten sighs, setting her container of beef and broccoli on the coffee table. She just wants to know why. She knows there’s a bigger reason behind this idea and she just wants to know it. 

 

“Come on Stretch. It’s our one year anniversary. And I think we should celebrate that, and that, despite the worlds best efforts, we’re both still alive.” He looks at her with big earnest green eyes and she nods. The world had been cruel to both of them for the majority of their respective lives. However whatever obstacle got thrown at them, they always managed to come out on top, and more recently, come out still standing together, united. And why shouldn’t they celebrate that? 

 

So she nods and says “Okay. Let’s go to Portugal." 

 

"Really?” His whole face lights up with delight. 

 

"Really.“ She confirms. "But you’re dealing with all of the logistics. And telling Maggie that we’re requesting time off." 

 

"Deal!” Cameron kisses her cheek with a loud smack and hits play, returning to the show. 

 

—–

 

As it turns out, Kirsten hates flying but loves Portugal, so the absurdly long flight from Los Angeles to Lisbon, Portugal was more or less worth it. Cameron hand planned it all pretty well. They had two weeks in Portugal so they were spending a few days in a handful of cities to “really get a feel for the culture”, according to Cameron. 

 

Halfway through the trip, they were in the south Portugal in a town called Lagos. They’d spent day at the beach but a bit after lunch, Cameron told her about another part of the itinerary: Sagres Cabo de São Vicente. 

 

"It’s a place to watch the sunset. It’s supposed to be amazing and there’s a shuttle from our hotel that’ll take us" he tells her, looking mildly nervous. “Then we can do dinner after" 

 

"Okay, yeah we can do that” she’s never really been one for watching sunsets, but if Cameron wants to go, she will too. 

 

Which is how she ends up at a lighthouse on some cliffs as the sun sinks lower and lower on the horizon. It’s pretty crowded. It they manage to find a place that feels like it’s just two of them. 

 

After a few moments of taking in the view, Cameron takes a deep breath and starts talking: “This place is called the End of the world and if you sailed from here, you’d fall off the end of the world.” He says, looking out at the water that goes until it meets the sky. “They thought it was the end but they kept going, kept exploring and taking chances and eventually found a new world to experience and it changed the world and their view of the world forever." 

 

Kirsten can’t help but wonder why he’s telling her this. She already knows some of it from the bus ride here when the driver gave the passengers a quick rundown on where they were going. But she also knows Cameron’s serious voice and that she should probably not interrupt him right now, so she lets him continue. 

 

"Getting told that I needed a heart transplant was a lot like that. A lot like seeing the end of the world. Things were bleak and the odds weren’t good but I kept going, I kept living, kept exploring and learning and eventually I found you.” He looks at her for the first time since he began speaking. His eyes intense and full of emotion. “You’re my new world. The day I met you, my life trajectory changed. And whether we’re in Portugal or eating take out on the couch, every day with you is an adventure. One I want to keep having for the rest of my life.”

 

Cameron pauses to dig around in his pocket before pulling out a ring. Kirsten doesn’t even spare the ring a glance; her complete attention on Cameron. 

 

"Will you marry me, Stretch?“ 

 

Despite the chill from the constant wind on the cliffs, warmth blossoms in Kirsten’s chest as she smiles and nods at Cameron. 

 

"Yes. I would love to.” She leans forward to kiss him and he responds enthusiastically before pulling away suddenly. 

 

“The ring! You’ve gotta put the ring on.” He stumbles through the words, flustered, holding the ring out again. Kirsten holds out her left hand, allowing him to slide the ring onto her finger. As far as engagement rings go, it’s pretty simple but she’s never been one for flashy jewelry so for her, it’s perfect. 

 

She kisses him again before sitting back to watch the sunset. They watch as the sun slowly dips beyond the horizon, off the edge of the world. 

 

Kirsten smiles as it does, feeling Cameron’s arm around her, because while the sun goes down and it looks like the end, she knows it’s not. If she can count on anything like she can count on the sun rising in the morning, it’s Cameron. It’s not the end of the world. It’s the beginning. Their beginning.


End file.
